AIM: To construct an in vitro model of oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) induced injury to the optic nerve and to study the oxidative damage mechanism of ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in 661W cells and the protective effect of ginsenoside Rg1. METHODS: The 661W cells were treated with different concentrations of Na2S2O4 to establish OGD/R model in vitro. Apoptosis, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were measured at different time points during the reperfusion injury process. The injury model was pretreated with graded concentrations of ginsenoside Rg1. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to measure the expression levels of cytochrome C (cyt C)/B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl2)/Bcl2 associated protein X (Bax), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), caspase9, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (nrf2), kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (keap1) and other genes. Western blot was used to detect the expression of nrf2, phosphorylated nrf2 (pnrf2) and keap1 protein levels. RESULTS: Compared to the untreated group, the cell activity of 661W cells treated with Na2S2O4 for 6 and 8h decreased (P<0.01). Additionally, the ROS content increased and SOD levels decreased significantly (P<0.01). In contrast, treatment with ginsenoside Rg1 reversed the cell viability and SOD levels in comparison to the Na2S2O4 treated group (P<0.01). Moreover, Rg1 reduced the levels of caspase3, caspase9, and cytC, while increasing the Bcl2/Bax level. These differences were all statistically significant (P<0.05). Western blot analysis showed no significant difference in the protein expression levels of keap1 and nrf2 with Rg1 treatment, however, Rg1 significantly increased the ratio of pnrf2/nrf2 protein expression compared to the Na2S2O4 treated group (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The OGD/R process is induced in 661W cells using Na2S2O4. Rg1 inhibits OGD/R-induced oxidative damage and alleviates the extent of apoptosis in 661W cells through the keap1/nrf2 pathway. These results suggest a potential protective effect of Rg1 against retinal I/R injury.